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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. staff — employees
  3. kick — in football
  4. cue — for pool
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. capital — money
  7. cue — a hint
  8. cue — a signal
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. rule — government
  12. staff — employees
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. foot — a measure
  15. capital — a city
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. rule — a law
  18. suit — to fit
  19. mine — for digging
  20. suit — clothes
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. staff — a stick
  23. suit — in cards
  24. kick — a thrill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com